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Mid-Summer Reset: Realigning Your 2024 Goals
As back-to-school activities get underway here in Georgia, I'm reviewing notes I made over the summer, when I took some time to get curious about how 2024 is progressing for my business and family.
The summer heat naturally encourages a slower pace, providing the perfect opportunity to revisit goals and make necessary pivots to realign things that are not in sync with my values. Some call this a Mid-Summer or Mid-Year reset.
We've all experienced years ending with unmet goals, but it doesn't have to be that way! A mid-summer reset increases the chance for making it to December ready to celebrate 2024's achievements! Here are the steps for a successful mid-year reset that worked for me :)
1. Seeking Inspiration
By midsummer, our New Year's resolutions have often lost their luster. Pursuing fresh ideas through experiences that ignite imagination opens your mind to new ways of problem-solving. Try something as simple as walking a new trail or visiting a fun downtown area you've only heard about. In these moments, when you can't rely on habit, your mind opens to new possibilities.
Recently, I capitalized on a trip to Atlanta to participate in the AmericasMart July Show. Few things ignite my creativity like a visit the July Show, inspired by the plethora of wholesale innovators who attend with their fresh creations. No two shows are ever the same. I listen to vendors' stories and learn about the challenges they face in their own solopreneur journey. It affirms for me that everyone struggles and occasionally needs a pause to regroup or be encouraged.
Opening yourself up to ideas beyond your routines and comfort zones helps you see your current aspirations through a different lens. By venturing out we open ourselves to a world of wonder. Whether it's visiting an unfamiliar place, or engaging with people from different walks of life, these encounters can breathe new life into our goals and aspirations. They remind us that the world is full of possibilities, waiting to be discovered by those willing to look at life with fresh eyes.
2. Trying Something New
In May, I decided to try watercolors for the first time. I also started a daily 10-minute drawing challenge using only charcoal. How does this help with staying on track with your goals, you ask? It pulled me out of my presets that don't always serve me well. It engaged a hibernating portion of my creative brain.
I discovered that watercolors are far more flexible and forgiving than acrylics. This new discovery paved the way for me to complete my first watercolor commission. It was deeply satisfying to expand my artistic skills and business!
Engaging in new activities beyond your current skillset rejuvenates your confidence that you can still grow. Think of it as a high-intensity workout for your ingenuity. Fun but challenging activity stimulates fresh energy for overcoming obstacles!
3. Noting What Worked and What Didn't
Our bath update in February had it's ups and downs. A win was choosing Sherwin Williams color of the year, Persimmon, to brighten up our water closet. It makes me smile every morning when I open the door! It worked, and remembering things that went well empowers commitment to the process. Nothing motivates my work ethic like excellent results, but not everything went according to plan.
Instead of opting for in stock moldings or fixtures, I took the chance on a new supplier. This resulted in slow deliveries that interrupted schedules.
However, sometimes doing the best with what you've got where you're at results in something far more charming than you originally planned. I saved on the budget by revisiting Home Depot for a fixture and during the search, the moldings came in......so the real lesson here was learning to practice patience and employ flexibility with things that didn't work out.
At the very least, things that don't work bless your future decisions with wisdom that is gained from experiencing a little failure along the way.
4. Revisiting Core Values
As the year progresses, priorities often shift. The highest priority may move down a notch to accommodate a new reality. It might be a new opportunity you want to pursue, or a surprise challenge that must take center stage for a bit. A mid-year reset allows you to realign your actions with your current values. Life is fluid, and remaining agile is a plus.
In March, just in time for my birthday, my oldest daughter announced she was pregnant with our second grandchild, so I made a shift in my priorities to ensure that I would have time to devote to this precious gift, eliminating any unnecessary time snatchers. You may have started the year with one set of values and now have a completely different idea of what matters most to you.
This can come from a life change or just personal growth that reveals a new perspective about what really matters to you. A mid-year reset makes room for removing irrelevant ambitions without shame or judgment. With time to accommodate the pivot, the end of the year will arrive without the baggage of outdated expectations in tow!
5. Reassessing Resources
Resource shifting is often just a part of being alive. Interest rates fluctuate. Inflation affects household budgets. Raises or promotions at work open up new opportunities. An illness depletes your energies, or a surgery ends suffering. Sometimes a mid-year reset is necessary to assess all the opportunities or deficits that have been thrust upon you by life.
Marie Forleo says, "Everything is figureoutable." Check in with shifts in your time, health, and income. Being intentional about this will help reveal the "figureoutable" parts of your current state of affairs. I believe life is divinely endowed with countless checks and balances. Sometimes figuring it out comes from being introduced to a new technology. Other times it's a serendipitous encounter with a person who shares a wisdom that lights an idea in your spirit. More often than not, figuring it out comes with a perspective change.
For me, spending time in prayer and reading scripture always delivers on seeing things from a different point of view and helps me stay strong until the resources I need reveal themselves.
6. Celebrating the Wins
Lastly, be sure to celebrate the wins you have made so far. Keeping a journal makes remembering the wins far easier. We tend to overlook the small steps forward when your momentum is steady. Be intentional this summer. Take a moment to glance over your calendar or planner from January to now and see all that went well.
Even God took time to look back over all He made in creation, and in the end, He called it "good." May we all be able to say the same when we arrive at the end of 2024 and realize the benefits of a mid-year reset! I look forward to celebrating the wins with you and sharing the overcoming that came with any setback! A mid-year goal reassessment will help us all put our best foot forward for doing just that!